Worse Things
by planet p
Summary: AU; he's been called worse things before. Jarod and Emily talk about stuff they'd never do, kinda.


**Worse Things** by planet p

**Disclaimer** I don't own _the Pretender_ or any of its characters.

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_You know something. You don't want someone else to know your something. What do you do? How do you prevent Someone Else from finding out?_

Jarod frowned, glancing up at his sister. They'd been on this train for two hours; even he was starting to get anxious. He sighed. He'd suggested the game; whose fault was it but his own, then. "Don't tell. That's how you keep it a secret. You tell no-one."

"Mmm." Emily nodded, crossing her arms. "But what if there was a chance someone else might find out, even if you never told anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"Okay, here's an example: Miss Parker and Lyle. She finds out he's her brother, she practically hits the roof. But our boy, Psycho, over there, he's, like, 'No sweat.' What the fuck, big brother? What the fuck!" She nodded. "So, maybe he knew ahead of time."

Jarod made a face; clearly disgusted. "Tell me how that doesn't just make it all the worse."

"You're right. It does. I still think it's something to think about." She uncrossed her arms to look at her watch. "If he wasn't, like, totally off his tree, it would make you wonder. Would you be able to... nah... I don't reckon I could, no matter what. My life at stake, or whatever. I couldn't do it; I couldn't. My own sister! Ew! Double ew!"

"Let's say, for a second, he wasn't insane. She knows now, doesn't she? That cat's well and truly out of the bag."

Emily shrugged. "I wouldn't want that as a brother. Stuff what some stupid test says! Did I do the test myself? No! With that sort of reception, who'd want to believe that thing was related to them?"

Jarod looked out the window, contemplating, for a second, the scenery rushing by. "Would it be so bad to be known as Miss Parker's relative, as her brother?"

"She's a Pretender, isn't she?" Emily said. "She has the gene, like you have?"

"He should be so worried. They don't train you once you're over a certain age. They don't even bother. And as for possessing the Inner Sense; if the guy has any more sense, well, then he'd have a tad bit of sense."

Emily shook her head. Which he didn't have. "It's a valid... thingy, though, right?"

"Yeah," Jarod agreed. "It's an interesting thought. Unfortunately, it's also a wasted one."

"Maybe he's not trying to protect himself. Maybe it's her."

Jarod laughed. "That'll be the day! That'll really be the day, Em!"

"Maybe there's something in his past he wouldn't like getting mixed up with her; someone...?"

"Raines already knew they were twins, though, remember? He's the one who placed Bobby with the Bowmans. So he'd be able to come back one day, et cetera, et cetera, _mucho grando_ evil scheming."

"Well, maybe it wasn't Raines."

Jarod laughed. "Yeah, I'm not really seeing it, Em. It's _always_ Raines!"

"Poor Billy! Whatever happens, it must've been your fault, Billy. Don't try an' deny it, now, boy, you'll just end up incriminatin' yourself further. We all know what you're like; we know your type exactly. We onto you, boy. We onto you." She shook her head. "He's good, Jarod, but perhaps not that good."

Jarod sighed. "I reckon you're having one of those days, Em."

"Oh, right, the journo withdrawal days. Bummer! But what if I'm not?"

"Yep, you're having one o' those days."

Emily shook her head. He could say that so easily; she, on the other hand, didn't quite have the ability he had, like the ability to SIM fifty or more different scenarios and say, _Nah, I like the chances of this one_ more than that.

She pointed a finger in his direction. "It might not just be for her benefit, either, you know. Behavin' like that t'wards her; all off-putting like. Maybe it's for his benefit, too. Like conditionin', you know. If the something he don't want her find out about is them being related, then it wouldn't look too good for his part to be suddenly actin' all brotherly, would it? You know, not that I could ever imagine such a thing without wanting to break out in hives and puke, but I'm just sayin'."

"Alright. I have a question. Now, this one's for you. What's your obsession with this lunatic?"

She laughed. "Alex is dead. It seems much more healthy to obsess over someone who's still alive than someone who's not, don't you think?"

Jarod pulled a face. "Forget I asked. Hit me! What's your next question?"

"Do you think they'll have watermelon slushie at the next station?"

Jarod sighed. Figured. Emily was good like that. One second she was serious overload and _Oh, but what if this was this?_, or that was that?, and next second she was back to plain, old _Are we there yet? When can I get my nails manicured?_, etc.

"Kyle could have done it."

Jarod shot her an annoyed look. "And so could I have, if it had been necessary," he told her.

"Are you kidding?" Emily said. "You're way too wholegrain goodness, if you ask me!"

"I'm what?"

Emily laughed.

Eventually, he couldn't help but laugh, too. She was strange, but she was his sister. He might have pointed out his liking for Pez, but he could think of worse things he'd been called before.


End file.
